Crab Louie was one of my mom’s favorite dishes, and we used to have it every summer when I was growing up. Of course, that was back when crab didn’t cost you half a limb. But I’m bringing it back, because I find it particularly appropriate for this new Moon in Cancer not only because my mother was born under the zodiac sign of Cancer, but because Crab literally is the symbol of the sign. Add to that the fact that it is just plain hot here in Seattle, and a nice cool refreshing Crab Louie recipe is definitely the way to go.
What are the ingredients in a Crab Louie?
The basic ingredients are crabmeat, iceberg lettuce, asparagus, hard-boiled eggs, olives, tomato, cucumber, avocado, and Louie dressing.
What kind of crab do you use for Crab Louie?
Crab Louie is traditionally made with Dungeness crab meat, but that can be a little spendy. It’s perfectly fine to substitute lump crab meat or even imitation crab meat if you’re on a budget.
What is Louie dressing made of?
Louie dressing is similar to Thousand Island Dressing, which can be used as an easy substitute. The classic recipe from the American Heritage Cookbook contains mayonnaise, chili sauce, onion, parsley, cayenne, and heavy cream. I have adapted that basic recipe here to modernize it a bit.
Why is it called Crab Louie?
Although the origins of Crab Louie are unknown, some say the dish was named after a chef in San Francisco named Louis Coutard. Others claim it was named after a chef in Spokane named Louis Davenport. Either way, the dish was very popular in the early 20th century.
About the ingredients
I used chili-garlic sauce in the base of this Crab Louie salad. You can find it at your local Asian grocery store, or sometimes they have it at Kroger’s.
I used just a pinch of ground cloves in the dressing. It was a little less than 1/16 of tsp. And you can taste it distinctly. Cloves are a very assertive flavor, so err on the side of less before you add more. Remember you can always add, but you can’t subtract.
I specify Duke’s mayonnaise because it has a distinctly tangy taste. You can use another brand of mayonnaise, but you won’t get the same flavor and may need to add some more apple cider vinegar.
What’s so magical about Crab Louie?
Crab is the symbol of Cancer, so it’s a great salad to align yourself with the energies of this nourishing sign. It’s a lovely summer salad with a variety of magical ingredients making it great for setting an intention for love, health, harmony or protection. Here are some of the highlights for what the ingredients can signify magically:
- Asparagus – desire
- Avocado – love
- Black Olives – harmony
- Cucumber – refreshing
- Cloves – comfort
- Chilis – energy
- Garlic –strength
- Iceberg Lettuce – luck
- Mayo/Half-and-half – nourishment
- Onion Powder – money
- Radishes – Health
- Scallions – clear thinking
- Shallot –purification
- Tomatoes – creativity
Crab Louie
Ingredients
Crab Louie Dressing
- 2 Tbsp organic Ketchup
- 2 tsp chili-garlic sauce
- 1 cup Duke’s Mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- pinch of ground cloves
- 4 tsp sweet pickle relish
- 3 tbsp minced shallots
- 5 Tbsp half and half
For salad:
- 1 bag iceberg lettuce
- ½ bundle of asparagus blanched
- 1 bundle of radishes sliced
- ½ cucumber sliced
- ½ bundle of scallions chopped
- ½ pint of petite tomatoes sliced
- 1 can black olives sliced
- 1 avocado sliced
- 3 hard-boiled eggs sliced
- ½ pound Dungeness crab meat
Instructions
For salad dressing:
- Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to let flavors blend.
To hard-boil eggs:
- In a medium saucepan, covered eggs with cold water.
- Bring water to a rolling boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 9 minutes.
- Drain water and fill pan with cold water and allow eggs to cool, then peel and slice.
To blanch asparagus:
- Fill a large sauce pan with water, and heat to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Prepare asparagus by rinsing, drying with a paper towel and then cutting off bottom third of stalks (the woody part).
- Place asparagus in boiling water for approximately 30 seconds to a minute until they turn bright green.
- Remove from heat and strain out liquid.
- Add a little salt before adding to salad.
To assemble salad:
- Layer the ingredients in order listed in a large salad bowl.
- To serve toss briefly to distribute layers evenly.
- Top with dressing.
